MetroStars to Host Chicago Fire in Open Cup Final on Oct. 15

NewsOct 2, 2003

PISCATAWAY, NJ (Wednesday, October 1, 2003) - The MetroStars topped D.C. United tonight 3-2 and will move to the first Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final in team history, hosting the Chicago Fire in Giants Stadium on Wednesday, Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. ET. The MetroStars advanced on an 88th minute goal by forward John Wolyniec, after a 10-man D.C. United side had evened the score in the 76th minute. Ticketing information will be available later this week.

There were 3,791 fans on hand at Yurcak Field on the campus of Rutgers University. Honduran midfielder Amado Guevara notched his first multi-goal performance for the MetroStars in the victory.

D.C. United was the first on the scoreboard when Galin Ivanov headed home an Earnie Stewart corner kick in the 18th minute. Ivanov got a head on the ball in the middle of the 18-yard box, and was able to head the ball to the far post away from Metros goalkeeper Jonny Walker.

The "Red and Black" answered D.C.'s goal just two minutes later when Guevara headed home a goal of his own, in the 20th minute. The play started when recent Metros acquisition, Andrzej Juskowiak sent a great ball wide to Edgar Bartolomeu. Bartolomeu then one-timed a cross that found the head of Guevara, who was able to knock the ball past United 'keeper Doug Warren.

In the 43rd minute, Guevara put the Metros ahead, 2-1, when he capitalized on a freekick from 25-yards, by burying the ball in the upper right corner of Warren's net. The freekick was set up when 16-year-old midfielder Eddie Gaven pushed forward with the ball, and was taken down by Brandon Prideaux just outside the penalty area.

In the second half, D.C. United went a man down in the 59th minute when Warren was ejected. Juskowiak took a pass from Gaven, and dribbled past Warren at the top of the 18-yard box. Warren tripped Juskowiak in desperation, and as a result was sent off by official Terry Vaughn leaving the "Red and Black" up a man for the final 30 minutes of action, and D.C. with Jorge Geddes between the pipes, making his professional debut.

Despite being a man down, D.C. United evened the score in the 76th minute when Hristo Stoitchkov played a low cross across the 18-yard box that slipped through the hands of Jonny Walker. The ball found the foot of Ronald Cerritos who easily put the ball into the net.

Fordham product John Wolyniec gave the MetroStars the lead for good however in the 88th minute when he redirected a Ricardo Clark shot into the back of the net. Clark fired from the top of the 18-yard box, and Wolyniec slightly changed the course of the ball to beat Geddes and put the Metros through to the final.

The Fire, champions of the 1998 and 2000 Open Cups, advanced to the final with a 3-2 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Tuesday, Sept. 23 with goals by Ante Razov, DaMarcus Beasley and Damani Ralph.